Garment form



June'5, 1956 1. FREEDMAN GARMENT FGRM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1952 June 5, 1956 l. L. FREEDMAN 2,748,999

GARMENT FORM Filed Aug. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent GARMENT FORM Israel L. Freedman, Lansdowne, Pa.

Application August 20, 1952, Serial No. 305,381

2 Claims. (Cl. 223-68) This invention relates to a garment form insertable into a garment for supporting the same. 7

When garments such as dresses, coats, jackets and the like are manufactured, they are shaped and formed particularly around the shoulders and chest to have the general contours of the corresponding portions of the wearer's body. This is particularly true of Womens garments and especially in those areas covering the bosom. The garments are then pressed on suitably shaped pressing bucks. Thus when the garments are manufactured, they .are not only shaped and stitched to the desired contours but are also pressed into this desired shape. 'In the past these garments after being finished by the manufacturer were then shipped so as to become flattened, folded and otherwise distorted so that once the garment had reached its destination it was necessary to repress and reshape the garment. Unfortunately most local retail or tailor shops did not have the elaborate pressing equipment including the pressing bucks to restore the I-gaunents to the original form in which they were pressed by the manufacturer.

One of the features of the present inventionis the provision of a garment form insertable into a garment for supporting the same with the form comprising a generally flattened member having generally the shape of the portion of the garment receiving the form and having the surface'contoured similarly to the generalcontours of the garment atcorresponding areas to support the garment at these areas. Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a form insertable into the torso portion of a garment for supporting the same with the form comprising a convexo-concave essentially two-dimensional member having a peripheral shape generally similar to that of the torso portion of the garment and having a surface contoured similarly to the contours of the front of this torso portion. A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a form wherein the top edges of the form are curved rearwardly and generally downwardly for supporting the shoulders of the garment. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawmgs:

Figure l is a perspective view of a garment form embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the form in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the form in a garment.

Figure 4 is a side elevational View of a shipping container with a plurality of garments in nested relationship each supporting a garment.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a garment supported by the form and in turn supported on a Wire hanger.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view partially broken away and illustrating the use of a form in supporting a jacket and skirt.

As shown in the drawings the garment form comprises a generally convexo-concave member 10 which 2,748,999 Patented June 5, 1956 may be constructed vof papier mache, a molded plastic or similar material that is light in weight, relatively strong and inexpensive. The member 10 is, therefore, essentially two-dimensional in that it is constructed of a single relatively thin sheet and is provided with shoulder portions 11 curved generally rearwardly and downwardly for supporting the shoulders of a garment as illustrated in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive. The peripheral edge 19a of the member 16) is of generally the same shape as that of the portion of the garment, here the torso, into which the form is placed. As will be noted from the drawings, however, the member 10 is generally flattened so that the form will support the garment when the garment itself is generally flattened. This serves to save space and to permit the nesting of a series of forms each holding a garment without undue distortion of the rear portions .of each garment.

The member 10 is provided with a surface contoured generally similar to the contours of the garment at corresponding areas thereof in order to supplysupport to these areas. In the embodiment shown the most prominent portions of these contours are at the bosom portion 1011. This is true here because in ladies garments this portion employs a more detailed and careful shaping and stitching and is the portion of the garment mostlikely to "be crushed in shipping, storage or the like.

The lower portion of the member id is provided with an elongated transverse slot or opening Me. This opening is used to receive another garment such as a skirt, pair of trousers or the like, in the manner illustrated 'in Figure 6 Before inserting the skirt or trousers they are preferably folded once longitudinally before being in serted into the opening 160.

As shown in Figure 3 the form is easily insertable into a garment and is eifective in supporting the same to prevent crushing thereof. The shoulder portions 11 of the form not only shape the shoulders of the garment but may also be used to hang the garment and form in a place ofstorage. This here the curved shoulder portions serve as hooks. If desired, however, a coat hangermay be used With these shoulder portions '11 'hooked'ov'er the hanger. The shoulder portions are especially advantageous when wire coat hangers are employed as illustrated in Figure 5. Here the wire hanger provides adequate support yet does not distort the shoulder portions of the garment as ordinarily occurs as the curved portions 11 of the form provide curving support for these shoulder portions.

When a number of garments are stored or shipped, each garment may be provided with its own form and the series of forms and garments arranged in nested relationship as shown in Figure 4. Here the front of one form and garment extends into the rear of the next form and garment. This is ordinarily insufiicient to distort the back portions of the garments so long as the garments and forms are not packed together too closely. In this embodiment where the garments are packed in a box 12 the bottom portion of each garment is folded around the bottom of a form and against the rear surface of the form and garment in order that the assembly will occupy a small space. Where large quantities of garments are shipped such as from the manufacturer to the retailer the forms with their supported garments may be hung from racks in the shipping containers. Here again, however, the series of forms and garments will be arranged in loosely internested relationship.

The garment form described and claimed herein has a number of important advantages. Thus it aids in retaining the garment in its natural shape without occupying excessive space because of the generally flattened yet contoured shape of the form. Furthermore, the same form may be used for shipping, hanging, storing, displaying, and otherwise handling the garment so that the form may be used with the garment from the time the garment is manufactured until it is purchased from the retailer. Even after purchasing the form may still be used with advantage by the purchaser in hanging or otherwise storing the garment in a closet or the like. Here it will be found that the form supports the garment so that less pressing will be required during the use of the garment.

Another important advantage of the new garment forms is that they can be easily manufactured in different sizes and different contours depending upon the size and contours of the garments in which the forms are used. The form also permits economical use of shipping space as the portion of the garment extending below the form can be turned back into the rear hollow portion to provide storage space for this portion. Similarly, the forms can be used to store garments without wrinkling at the place of manufacture until a shipment is assembled and the garments can then be shipped, put on sale and taken home by the purchaser and then stored at home, if desired, while the garment is supported over the same form throughout this journey. The form can also be used to carry the retailers advertising, if desired, so that the purchaser will be constantly reminded of the retailer while the form is in use. A very important use of the garment form of this invention is in traveling where it can be used to support the garment without crushing in the manner described hereinabove.

One of the important features of the invention is the provision of the rounded and hooked shoulder portions 11 on the top edge of the form. These curved edge portions serve to shape the shoulders of the garment, may be used to hang the garment without requiring an additional hanger, yet permit using a wire hanger or any other type of hanger without distorting the shoulders of the garment. Furthermore this shaped top edge of the form aids in preventing crushing of assembled garments as it helps to hold them spaced from each other and provides a larger friction surface to help retain the garment on the form.

Although the illustrated embodiment of the form is one for use in ladies garments, it is obvious that the form of this invention is usable with mens garments and particularly suit jackets as well as girls and boys garments.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A garment form insertable into the interior of a garment, comprising a sheet member having a surface configuration corresponding to the front of the torso for supporting that portion of the garment which covers the front of the torso and side portions curved to correspond with the sides of the body for supporting the side covering portions of the garment and having two spaced, rearwardly curved, downwardly and outwardly sloping top edge portions corresponding to the shoulders and supporting the shoulder covering portions of the garment while forming hooks engageable with the downwardly and outwardly sloping side portions of a clothes hanger for supporting the form and a garment on a hanger.

2. A garment form insertable into the interior of the garment for supporting the torso covering portion thereof, comprising a member of sheet material having a portion of the front surface formed outwardly to support the bust covering portion of the garment, the edge surfaces of the member having a concave portion adjacent said outwardly formed portion to support the sides of the chest covering portion of the garment, and having a convex portion below said concave portion to support the waist covering portion of the garment, the edge portions of the sheet being curved rearwardly and the rear surface being convex whereby a plurality of garment forms may be stacked in a loosely inter-nested relationship to support and maintain the form of garments while packed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,195 Kinsinger Oct. 16, 1916 1,951,985 Likly Mar. 20, 1934 2,089,268 Kalvin Aug. 10, 1937 2,446,832 Insley Aug. 10, 1948 2,558,497 Rosen June 26, 1951 2,559,096 Tomarin July 3, 1951 2,648,468 Tan Aug. 11, 1953 

